Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Latest On RB Dalvin Cook

A free agent for nearly a week now, Dalvin Cook will likely spend more time surveying the market. The six-year Vikings running back will probably need to sort out priorities, as he said his destination target will be a winning situation and another role as a starter.

Not many places check both boxes, and it should not be out of the question Cook waits for a potential training camp/preseason injury to shake up a team’s situation.

I want the value. I want somebody who values Dalvin Cook,” Cook said during an interview with Rich Eisen Show fill-in Tom Pelissero (via NFL.com). “I want somebody that wants me to be there and give me the ball. I just want to go into the right situation so I can go help somebody win.

Like you said, the money is going to come. If you play good, they are going to pay you. I just want to go somewhere where it feels like it’s home and help somebody win and just go be me. Just go turn it loose and look for a home. That’s it.”

It should not be expected Cook will approach his previous Vikings terms. Minnesota gave the former second-round pick a five-year, $63MM contract just before the 2020 season. Seeing the running back market shift yet again, the Vikings are pivoting to Alexander Mattison. The longtime Cook backup signed a two-year, $7MM deal that is almost fully guaranteed. Ahead of a historic Justin Jefferson contract, Minnesota will make a substantial pay cut at running back. Cook played three seasons on his extension and balked at the prospect of a pay cut, though a specific reduction is not believed to have been offered.

This year’s running back market featured the top three options — Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard — out of play due to the franchise tag. The fallout from this and a number of other capable starters hitting the market produced a barrage of modest agreements. Miles Sanders‘ four-year, $25.4MM deal led the way, but even after the the Vikings bailed on Cook’s contract, Sanders’ AAV ranks 11th at the position. This has not been a good offseason for running backs, leading to a some state of the union-type comments from the game’s top ball carriers.

The Sanders contract should be considered a fairly safe ceiling for Cook, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com estimates (video link). While teams are interested, Cook’s position and age will limit his market. Still, Cook is the NFL’s only back to eclipse 1,100 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons. He also said the shoulder procedure he underwent in February has corrected a longstanding issue.

I’m feeling great, being [in] the right shape and stuff like that just to play for a football team, that’s going to be the best thing,” Cook said, via Pelissero. “I’m not in a rush to go sign with nobody. I’m trying to find the right fit for me and my family.”

Kirk Cousins said he expressed faint hopes Cook could stay in Minnesota, offering (via SI.com) that “an outside chance” might exist for a reunion. While Cook expressed”a lot of love” for the Twin Cities, it would still surprise if he returns on a reduced contract. With the Broncos not expected to make a serious push, the Dolphins’ previous pole-position status does not appear threatened presently. But the Pro Bowler will aim to hold out for his hometown team — or another mystery suitor — to hit a certain financial benchmark.

Latest On Vikings, Danielle Hunter

With Danielle Hunter choosing to skip the Vikings’ mandatory minicamp, attention is bound to heat up with respect to a potential trade. The veteran pass rusher has already been mentioned in trade talks this offseason, but it remains to be seen how willing Minnesota is to follow through with a potential deal.

Teams have called about Hunter, who has one year remaining on his current contract. The 28-year-old had an encouraging bounce-back season in 2022, racking up 10.5 sacks after two straight campaigns of significant missed time. The Vikings have moved on from several veteran contributors (especially on the defensive side of the ball) this offseason, so it would come as little surprise if a lack of progress in extension talks led to Hunter playing elsewhere in 2023.

However, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notes that there have been “no serious trade talks to date” with respect to the LSU product. Hunter’s holdout may apply pressure on Minnesota to entertain offers more than they already have, but Seifert’s colleague Jeremy Fowler adds that the team’s preference is to keep the former third-rounder in the fold (Twitter link). That falls in line with previous reporting on the matter indicating Minnesota’s desire to work out a deal which is more favorable for both club and player.

Hunter’s 2023 compensation ($5.5MM) is less than half of his scheduled cap hit ($13.1MM) as a result of the multiple restructures to his deal which have taken place. Another multi-year commitment on the Vikings’ part could be in order given Hunter’s continued production when healthy, though the team has made a clear commitment to freeing up future cap space to be devoted to its younger core players. The former third-rounder could be a member of that group, though the risks of an extension will need to be weighed against the compensation yielded from a trade.

On that point, Fowler adds that a second-round pick may be the starting point in terms of the price of a Hunter acquisition. That would, understandably, represent a better haul than the one Minnesota received for fellow edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in their swap with the Browns last month. A trade would also, on the other hand, leave the Vikings lacking in experienced pass rushers outside of free agent addition Marcus Davenport. The extent to which a trade market develops for Hunter could inform the team’s intentions with respect to his short- and long-term future.

Danielle Hunter To Skip Vikings’ Minicamp

Danielle Hunter has emerged as the latest veteran prepared to miss out on mandatory minicamp amidst a contract dispute. The edge rusher is planning on remaining absent from the Vikings this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Hunter has one year remaining on his contract, which has put his future in doubt. The 28-year-old is due $5.5MM in 2023, but his cap hit is $13.1MM, leading in part to the financial impasse he and the Vikings now find themselves in. Hunter was also absent from voluntary OTAs, though this latest decision could lead to fines. Players can be docked a total of nearly $99K if they remain away from their team during three-day minicamps.

Not for the first time, Hunter’s future in Minnesota has come into question this offseason. He was mentioned in trade rumors previously, and the Vikings have received inquiries into his availability in a potential swap. Hunter dealt with injury troubles in 2020 and ’21, but his level of play last season has boosted his value on a new Vikings deal or one with another team.

The LSU product racked up 10.5 sacks in 2022, adding 12 tackles for loss and 22 QB hits, which matched his career high. With his health and production less of a question than previous years, Hunter’s desire to secure a multi-year extension is understandable. On the other hand, the Vikings have parted ways with a number of veterans this offseason, as they look to implement their ‘competitive rebuild’ strategy going forward.

Minnesota released the likes of Eric Kendricks, Adam Thielen and, more recently, Dalvin Cook. The team also saw Dalvin Tomlinson and Patrick Peterson depart in free agency, and traded away edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. The latter’s starting role appeared to be filled by ex-Saint Marcus Davenport, who inked a one-year deal this offseason. Moving on from Hunter via trade or release would yield modest cap savings and a dead cap charge of $7.6MM, and it would leave the Vikings in need of a late edge rush addition to replace him.

The degree to which Hunter’s decision to hold out opens up contract talks will be a key story to follow in the coming days and weeks. If little progress is made on that front, speculation about his future will no doubt continue to heat up.

Latest On Dalvin Cook’s Vikings Departure

Earlier today, it was confirmed by the Vikings themselves that they have moved on from running back Dalvin CookThe move brought an end to a lengthy period of speculation and trade rumors, something which was largely a result of each party’s financial approach to the situation.

By releasing Cook, Minnesota will see $9MM in cap savings. That adds to the money they have saved by parting ways with the likes of Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, other veteran contributors to the team’s 13-4 season in 2022. The Vikings are resetting financially at many positions this year (with the notable exception of quarterback), which helped inform their decision to turn over starting running back duties to Alexander Mattison.

When discussing Cook’s release on the Rich Eisen Show, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted that the Vikings never offered a pay cut to the four-time Pro Bowler (video link). Cook, 27, was due a base salary of $10.4MM in 2023, with a scheduled cap hit of just over $14.1MM. Lowering those figures through a restructure could have extended his Minnesota tenure, but the team made a two-year commitment to Mattison in March, signaling their intent to shed costs at the RB position.

Still, Minnesota explored the idea of a re-worked Cook deal (along with a trade) for months, as detailed by Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Pelissero adds that Cook had no desire to work out a restructure as part of a trade, a stance which has now left him free to join the team of his choice. His free agent process will be worth watching, though it may not develop with much urgency.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Cook – who is due $2MM in guranteed money from the Vikings – “plans to be patient in waiting for the right situation.” The Dolphins could very well represent that for the Miami native and Florida State alum; as was the case before, the Dolphins can be considered a strong suitor for Cook on the free agent market. The value of his next deal (wherever it comes from) will come in below the one he had been playing on, but it will have implications for the Vikings as well as his new team.

Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo notes that Cook’s guarantees include offset language (Twitter link). Minnesota would thus be in line to recoup the $2MM owed to him assuming he lands a deal worth more than that amount from his new employer. The running back market was very modest at the onset of free agency, but a patient approach to the next chapter of his career could yield a favorable on-field and financial situation for Cook. The Vikings, meanwhile, will look for ways to reallocate the money saved through his release as they aim to build around their young core.

Vikings Release RB Dalvin Cook; Dolphins, Broncos On Radar

JUNE 9: As expected, no trade suitors emerged for Cook as teams knew that he would soon hit the open market. The release is now official, per a team announcement, meaning he will be free to sign with a new team any time after 3:00pm Central today.

“I hold Dalvin in the highest regard and am grateful for his contributions on and off the field,” a statement from head coach Kevin O’Connell reads in part. “Dalvin’s approach to the game and his commitment to sportsmanship is clearly respected across the league. We appreciate Dalvin’s positivity, energy and leadership and will be pulling for him in the future.”

Adofo-Mensah likewise praised Cook for his time with the Vikings, which has come to a close after four straight Pro Bowl campaigns. It will be interesting to monitor how his free agent market takes shape.

JUNE 8: After months of trade rumors, the Vikings plan to conclude the offseason Dalvin Cook saga with a release. Minnesota now intends to cut its six-year starting running back, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

The Vikings intend to follow through with this long-rumored separation Friday, Pelissero tweets. While this potentially opens the door to a last-ditch trade effort, Minnesota has dangled Cook in deals for several weeks now. No takers have emerged. Cook is a vested veteran and will move straight to free agency if/when cut. The Vikes, as should be expected here, will make a final effort to trade Cook, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.

As for potential suitors, Schefter names the Dolphins — who discussed Cook with the Vikings earlier this offseason — and Broncos (Twitter link). Denver has a clear tie, with GM George Paton being in Minnesota when the Vikes drafted Cook in 2017 second round, but the team also signed Samaje Perine and has starter Javonte Williams already participating in offseason work despite tearing an ACL in October.

The Broncos are highly unlikely to make an 11th-hour trade offer for Cook, per 9News’ Mike Klis, who adds they should not be considered a lock to pursue him in free agency. But Schefter notes the team has been monitoring the talented back for weeks. The Dolphins hold nearly $14MM in cap space; the Broncos sit at just more than $10MM. Other suitors are believed to be in the mix once Cook officially becomes available at 3pm CT Friday, but these are the two known candidates at this point.

Cook’s positional value and $10.4MM base salary have almost definitely impeded strong trade offers from emerging. A release will save the Vikings $9MM, though the Pro Bowler’s dead money would be spread over two offseasons. Cook has $2MM in guaranteed salary owed; that will bump his career earnings past $34MM. His next contract will not come close to the five-year, $63MM contract the Vikings authorized before the 2020 season, but an interesting free agency sweepstakes looks likely to launch soon.

As a South Florida native who played at Florida State, Cook is believed to have interest in heading to Miami. The Dolphins are expected to make an offer, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. This would come after the team made several moves at running back this offseason. Miami re-signed Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Myles Gaskin, though the trio’s combined guarantees do not top $6MM, and used a third-round pick on Texas A&M speedster Devon Achane.

With Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year contract the only notable pact attached to a Dolphins quarterback or skill-position player, Miami makes sense here. Cook, who is going into his age-28 season, could slide in as a hired gun. The Broncos, conversely, have Russell Wilson tied to a monster extension and Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick on eight-figure-per-year deals. That said, Denver did well to sign both receivers before Hill and Co. transformed that market in 2022. Unlike the Dolphins, the Broncos did not draft a running back this year.

Cook’s Florida ties could seemingly prompt the Broncos or an unknown suitor to make a trade offer before the release processes, as to keep the back from joining the Dolphins. The Vikings kept Za’Darius Smith on their roster for months, despite the edge rusher lobbying for a release in March, before agreeing to a low-level trade with the Browns. It would be interesting to see how much of Cook’s base salary the Vikings would be willing to eat to facilitate a trade. As of Thursday morning, Cook remains under contract through 2025.

Passing Chuck Foreman for third place in Vikings rushing yardage last season, Cook has reeled off four straight 1,100-plus-yard years. Despite nagging injuries that have emerged since his rookie-year ACL tear, Cook has proven fairly durable. He has only missed more than two games in a season once over the past four years (in 2021) and played all 18 Vikings contests in 2022. Cook did undergo shoulder surgery earlier this offseason, however. Only Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb have accumulated more rushing yards than Cook (5,024) since 2019.

The Vikings moving on from Cook this week will keep him away from their mandatory minicamp, where longtime backup Alexander Mattison‘s ascent is now set to take place in earnest. The Vikings re-signed Mattison to a two-year deal worth just $7MM — in line with the Dolphins’ low-level RB pacts and others on the buyer’s market that expectedly formed this offseason — but nearly all of it is fully guaranteed. With Cook in limbo, Mattison — a former third-round pick who has occupied Minnesota’s RB2 slot for four years — is set to begin his age-25 season as Minnesota’s starter.

Despite the Vikings going 13-4 in 2022 (albeit one with a negative point differential), second-year GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has already parted with Vikings mainstays Adam Thielen and Eric Kendricks this offseason. This Cook move will leave Harrison Smith, Danielle Hunter and Brian O’Neill as the final ties to the homegrown core Rick Spielman built during the 2010s. The Vikings agreed to terms to retain Smith on a pay cut this offseason but have taken calls on Hunter, whose contract has been an issue for most of its duration.

Latest On Dolphins, Dalvin Cook

The runaway leaders in terms of mentions as a Dalvin Cook suitor this offseason, the Dolphins may soon have their opportunity to add the Pro Bowler in free agency. The Vikings are planning to release Cook on Friday, barring an 11th-hour trade agreement.

If Cook reaches free agency, Miami should probably be considered the favorite. After a report last week indicated the Dolphins will be expected to pursue Cook if he ends up in free agency, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes (via Twitter) the South Florida native is believed to be “very much intrigued” by playing for his hometown team.

Cook, who will turn 28 later this summer, posted an image of him leaving Hard Rock Stadium (during a 2022 Vikings-Dolphins game) on Instagram today. No team has appeared willing to take on Cook’s $10.4MM salary, but seeing as the Florida State alum appears to be quite interested in a Dolphins deal, the Vikings seeing if any of the other suitors come forward with a last-ditch trade proposal seems like something to monitor.

The Dolphins discussed Cook with the Vikings in March, were still believed to be in the mix before the draft and, despite selecting Devon Achane in Round 3, remain on the radar. Miami gave modest guarantees to re-signed backs Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert, both of whom having pasts with Mike McDaniel in San Francisco, and re-signed Myles Gaskin. The Gaskin deal does not include any guarantees. But Mostert, Wilson and Achane still represent a fairly full running back room. Cook, the league’s only back to rush for at least 1,100 yards in each of the past four seasons, would likely bolster that situation further.

Even if the Dolphins do make Cook an offer, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson does not see it being something close to the deal the Vikings are about to remove from their payroll (Twitter link). That said, Jackson confirms the Dolphins remain interested. While a few suitors would naturally be better for the four-time Pro Bowler’s market, he probably should not count on anything on the level of the $12.6MM-per-year deal he inked with Minnesota just before the 2020 season. Three years remain on that contract.

The Broncos are believed to have monitored Cook for a bit now, though they have Samaje Perine in place as a Javonte Williams committee partner. Williams has also made strides in his return from ACL and LCL tears this offseason. Denver also just authorized a $5.5MM guarantee for Frank Clark, cutting into its cap space.

Teams Calling Vikings On Danielle Hunter

The Vikings exited the draft with both Dalvin Cook and Za’Darius Smith in uncertain territory regarding their Minnesota futures. After trading Smith, the Vikings look to have another impact player in this boat.

Teams have called the Vikes on veteran pass rusher Danielle Hunter, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). The trade interest that has formed for Hunter is “pretty serious,” per Rapoport. Hunter’s contract has come up many times since the Vikings extended him back in 2018; one year remains on the deal. Hunter opted to skip voluntary Vikes activities this offseason.

Hunter trade talks took place before a March 2022 roster bonus became due, but the Vikings stood down and paired their longtime edge defender with Smith. The team has since signed Marcus Davenport, who looks to be Smith’s replacement. It would be harder to replace Hunter, seeing as the draft has come and gone. But a number of starter-level edges are available, even after Leonard Floyd‘s Bills deal.

The regime that authorized the Hunter extension is no longer in power, and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not been shy about making sweeping changes this offseason. The second-year GM held onto Smith for months, despite persistent trade and release rumors, and unloaded him in a late-round pick-swap deal with the Browns. Health has also been an issue for Hunter, though he has produced in big spots for the Vikings over the course of his career.

During the 2018 offseason, Hunter signed a deal that was viewed as a team-friendly pact at the time. When Hunter has been on the field, he has outplayed that five-year, $72MM accord. Becoming the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 sacks, Hunter helped the 2019 Vikings edition to the divisional round. But he missed most of the next two seasons, seeing a neck injury sideline him for all of the 2020 campaign and a torn pec end his ’21 slate after seven games. But Hunter re-emerged as an upper-echelon pass rusher last season, playing all 17 games and registering 10.5 sacks. The three-time Pro Bowler’s 22 QB hits matched a career-high mark as well.

The Vikings have reworked Hunter’s contract on three occasions. The second of those — a June 2021 restructure — moved $5.6MM into a signing bonus and created the $18MM roster bonus that was due in March 2022. The Adofo-Mensah-led front office converted that $18MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, spreading out Hunter’s cap hit through void years. Hunter is only tied to a $4.9MM base salary, attracting interest from teams.

Hunter being disgruntled about his deal has invited the calls, though Rapoport adds the Vikings have attempted to come up with a solution that better compensates their top pass rusher for this season. Despite Hunter going into his ninth season, he is just 28. The early-2020s injuries aside, the former third-round pick has posted four double-digit sack seasons. Hunter would stand to fetch the Vikings more in a trade than Smith did, but the team’s pass rush would also be weakened. The Vikings could save $5.5MM against this year’s cap by trading Hunter.

Minnesota did not draft an edge player this year and has Davenport signed for just one season, with void years present in the ex-Saint’s deal as well. The team will need a resolution regarding Hunter soon, but its mid-2020s edge defender plans are up in the air.

Vikings Sign RB DeWayne McBride, Complete Draft Pick Signings

The Vikings have officially signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve inked seventh-round running back DeWayne McBride to his four-year rookie pact.

McBride spent three years at UAB, including a 2022 campaign where he earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors after collecting 1,723 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns. This performance followed a breakout 2021 season where he rushed for more than 1,300 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

His fumbling issues and lack of pass-catching ability led to him slipping to the seventh round of the draft. Fortunately for the rookie, he could have a chance to contribute with Dalvin Cook potentially out the door. Alexander Mattison would likely get the starting role if/when Cook is gone, but McBride could compete with 2022 fifth-round pick Ty Chandler for backup reps.

The Vikings finished the draft having selected six rookies, and each of those first-year players have now been signed to contracts. That grouping includes:

Front Office Rumors: Vikings, DeLuca, Saints

The Vikings made a number of staff moves this past week. They’ve got one season under their belt with new head coach Kevin O’Connell and new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and Minnesota continues to make adjustments to the front office.

The first such adjustment was the release of a longtime staffer in director of football quantitative methods and pro scout Scott Kuhn. According to Seth Walder of ESPN, the two parties decided to part ways after 16 years together. Kuhn first came to Minnesota in 2007, following former general manager Rick Spielman in his move from Miami. The former Dolphins staffer worked his way through multiple roles in Minnesota before finally landing his most recent role back in 2016.

Here are few other front office moves from around the NFC, mostly coming out of the Twin Cities:

  • In further efforts to shape the front office to his liking, Adofo-Mensah brought a big piece over from Cleveland in Sam DeLuca, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. DeLuca had been with the Browns since 2013, serving mostly in the role of assistant director of pro scouting. He also spent some time with the Eagles before he joined Cleveland. In Minnesota, DeLuca will claim a role as the Vikings’ senior assistant director of pro personnel.
  • The Vikings will reportedly also be adding a new scout, according to Stratton. Minnesota is poaching Matt Kelly from the Senior Bowl staff, where he served as director of football operations. With the Vikings, Kelly will be the team’s new West Coast area scout.
  • Lastly, the Saints also parted ways with a longtime staffer, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune, letting go of a top analytics researcher in Ryan Herman. Herman joined the Saints back in 2017 after working with New Orleans’ assistant general manager Jeff Ireland in Miami, when Ireland was the Dolphins’ general manager. Herman’s seven years in Miami culminated in his role as the director of football administration before taking the job in New Orleans. After six years with the Saints as the team’s head of football research and strategy, New Orleans allowed Herman’s contract to expire.

Vikings’ Contractual Preferences To Hinder Justin Jefferson Negotiations?

With three years of service time under his belt, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is now eligible for an extension. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, Jefferson has been staying away from the club during offseason workouts as part of his efforts to land what could be the richest WR contract in league history.

The Dolphins made Tyreek Hill the first (and currently only) $30MM/year wideout, though that number is inflated by an untenable $43.9MM salary in 2026, the final year of Hill’s contract. At that time, there will be no guaranteed money left on the deal, so player and team will either have to agree to an extension/restructure, or Hill will simply be released.

Given Jefferson’s age (he will turn 24 this month) and remarkable production over the first three seasons of his professional career, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year has grounds to demand a contract featuring a “legitimate” $30MM AAV. He also has a good chance to top the $75MM of practical guarantees that the Rams authorized for Cooper Kupp almost exactly one year ago.

The problem, according to Florio, is that Minnesota generally prefers to include in its contracts injury guarantees that do not become fully guaranteed until the year the money is due. In other words, as long as the player stays healthy, the Vikings can extricate themselves from the deal with relative ease.

Of course, given the importance of the quarterback position, Minnesota made an exception for Kirk Cousins. It stands to reason that the team would do the same for Jefferson, who not only plays a premium position, but who is arguably the best player at that position despite his youth. Florio asked a source involved in the Jefferson negotiations if the Vikings’ structural preferences would become an issue, and the source simply replied, “we’ll see.”

At this point, there is no reason to think that the two sides will ultimately fail to reach an accord. It just may take awhile to get there, which is often the case with highly-lucrative contracts, especially those that could set a new benchmark at a certain position.

Indeed, while a Jefferson extension is reportedly a top agenda item for the Vikings, head coach Kevin O’Connell recently suggested that there is still a great deal of work to be done.

“I don’t know if I’d put a timeline on it,” O’Connell said last month. “I just know that, you know, we very much are looking forward to having Justin play here for a really long time. … I look forward to when we get that done and we can move forward knowing that Justin’s going to be here for the long term and we will get that done. Justin knows, his representation knows exactly how we feel about him.”

In 2022, Jefferson led the league in receptions (128) and yards (1,809). He also tallied eight receiving touchdowns and threw in a rushing score for good measure. He finished fifth in MVP voting.